Preorder: Monks in the Military

Monks in the Military: Benedictine Chaplains in the British Armed Forces during the Twentieth Century

Military chaplaincy is an old and honourable aspect of the Catholic priesthood. The ordained man serves those fighting for their country by administering the sacraments and providing the comfort of religion.

In the wars of the twentieth century, many Catholic priests served in the British military as chaplains to the forces and some of these were Benedictine monks.

This is the story of those Benedictines from the abbeys and priories of the English Benedictine Congregation and from British houses of other European Benedictine Congregations who served as chaplains to the British Armed Forces in the twentieth century.

This detailed and moving study takes us from the veldt of South Africa to what Victorian soldiers would have known as the Northwest Frontier − from Cape Colony to Afghanistan.

This book shatters the myth of monks being confined to monastery or cloister.

Written by James Hagerty and Downside’s Archive and Library Outreach Officer Steven Parsons, Monks in the Military is now available for preorder. Order today to guarantee your copy before Christmas. Click here to buy online, purchase in our Visitor Centre, or email us for more information. You can also find out more about the Downside monks who served as chaplains here in our Monks at War project.

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